The Guggenheim is down the road from my flat…

I’m in Spain! I’m going to write a first impressions blog once I’ve had a few more days to accumulate some more fun anecdotes (for which I already have many), but for now, I need to talk about The Guggenheim.

The Guggenheim is not only an architectural masterpiece in Bilbao, but a place very near to my flat. A place which has been the first thing I’ve mentioned to any of my friends ever when they’ve asked me to tell them about where I’m living for the next year.

It was fascinating. Once you get through the intense security you enter a world of vision. It’s a world of innovative creativity and architecture, paintings and sculptures that have shaped the world of art.

I’ve never really been that compelled to go to an art museum and look at paintings, pondering about what went through the artist’s mind in order to produce this interpretation of the world. Thanks to the audioguide that we received, I was able to absorb the information while viewing the beautiful pieces in front of me. It was interesting to see more contemporary art as well as the origins of techniques and artistic trends that are well known today. I remember studying Andy Warhol’s Pop Art in primary school, and witnessing the beginnings of original style and various revolutions- politically and creatively, was eye-opening.

There’s so much to see, and there’s student discount, and you can access the audioguide in Spanish, Basque, English and French… so there’s something for everyone?

I’m just saying, the fact that the Guggenheim is just down the road from my flat is definitely not a bad thing, and if you’re ever staying in Bilbao I would highly recommend you pay a visit.